46 drugs to be sold only on doctor's prescription from March 1

The notification also says such drugs will carry a warning that they are habit-forming and can be dangerous and that they can be sold only through prescription by a registered medical practitioner.

NEW DELHI: Habit-forming antibiotics, anti-TB and other such drugs like sleeping pills will not be freely available at chemists from March 1, 2014, following a government notification that regulates the use of 46 such medicines. These drugs won't be available over-the-counter (OTC), and will be sold only through a doctor's prescription. Chemists will have to record the names and addresses of prescriber and buyer of all such drugs in a separate register.

As per the notification, such records will have to be maintained for three years and they will be open for inspection by the regulatory authority, the Drug and Controller General of India (DCGI).

Such drug formulations in Schedule H1 will also carry a symbol "Rx" printed in red colour on the top left-hand corner of the label.

The notification also says such drugs will carry a warning that they are habit-forming and can be dangerous and that they can be sold only through prescription by a registered medical practitioner.

Such a warning should be labelled in a box with red border, cautioning a buyer, "it is dangerous to take this preparation except in accordance with the medical advice" and "not to be sold by retail without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner."

Some such drugs are anti-TB, while some are normal medicines used for sleeplessness.

The notification said preparations containing the above drug substances and their salts excluding those intended for topical or external use, except ophthalmic and ear or nose preparations, containing above substances are also covered by the new Schedule H1. These have been notified after the approval of the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) which is chaired by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS).